Steiner slaps Hamilton with tough wake-up call: 'Then you better stop'

13:59, 13 Aug

byNorberto Mujica

Lewis Hamilton’s ongoing Ferrari struggles are down to more than just learning a new car, they’re also linked to a drop in belief, says Guenther Steiner.

The former Haas boss told Web.de: “He has lost self-confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself anymore, you can’t perform.”

He added that while early difficulties could be explained by settling into a new team, engineer, and processes, those excuses no longer apply.

“In the beginning, you could explain it with the settling-in… but why is it still not going well?”

Age is a big factor

Steiner acknowledged that age, Hamilton turns 41 next year, can be a factor, but insisted the Briton remains in top physical shape.

“Age always plays a role… of course, you don’t get faster with age. But he can absolutely drive at a good level for a few more years.

"But if you don’t have the joy anymore, if you realize you’re just fighting, then it’s no use. Then it’s better to say: I tried, it didn’t work and I’ll stop.”

The Italian’s comments add to mounting scrutiny over Hamilton’s performance compared to Leclerc, with the Monegasque consistently outscoring his new teammate.